Forced Marriages Rise in UK, Stressing Global Problem

The British government reports today that an increasing number of men are partaking in forced marriages, something most often associated with women. According to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Forced Marriage Unit, men now account for 14 percent of the 1,682 forced marriage cases. New calls and emails were up 64 percent from 134 to 220 between 2008 and 2009. Those are low-ball numbers, of course, because many men are too intimidated or ashamed to report their unsatisfying marital situation.

Not surprisingly, many of the men who do call up say they buy into arranged marriages to hide their sexuality. “[The FMU] has seen a number of cases linked to sexuality. This has included male victims being forced to marry women because their families know or suspect they are gay or bisexual,” the report reads. But, keeping with the complexity of marriage itself, this issue isn’t just about sexuality. It’s about how institutions, immigration and politics erect inharmonious homes.